Paper ruling machine



Aug. 17, 1937. s. FORSYTHE PAPER RULING MACHINE Filed oot. 5, 1956Zwuq/wtom LOU/S 5. FORSYTHE v f/ t Gum/MA;

Patented Aug. 17, 1937 UNITED Sara's.

7 2,090,443, PAPER some MACHINE Louis S. Forsythe, Portsmouth, Va.Application October 5, 1936, SerialNo. 104,137

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ruling machines for paper or the like and moreparticularly to the method of supporting and adjusting the pens of suchmachines.

An importantobject of the present invention is the provision of a rulingmachine provided with an adjusting mechanism which may be readilyoperated to adjust the spacing of the pens.

- A further object of my invention is to provide a device of thischaracter whichwill always maintain the even spacing and parallelarrangement of the pens.

Still another object of my invention is the provison of a device of thischaracter which is of simple and'inexpensive construction,which maybeOther objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during thecourse of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing which forms a part of this specification andwherein like characters of reference denote like parts throughout,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a ruling machine embodyingmy invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the machine on the line3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a similar View on the line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through one end ofthe adjusting mechanism, and,

Figure '7 is a longitudinal section taken on line I'l of Figure 2.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown apreferred embodiment of the invention the numeral Ii! designates theside rails of the frame of the machine between which the flexible beltII of fabric or the like moves to convey the sheets of paper past thepens. Upright standards I2 are bolted to the top of each rail III atdiametrically opposite points to support the pen carrying mechanism. Oneside of each standard is provided with a fiat leaf spring I3 bolted tothe standard at a point spaced a substantial distance below the topthereof, the springs I3 extending a substantial distance above the topsof the standards. Elongated bearing members or blocks I4 are spaced aslight distance above the standards I2 and secured at their ends bybolting or the like to the flat leaf springs 53. The bearing blocks I4extend longitudinally of the rails It above the tops of standards I2 andspaced therefrom, being normally held in a sub stantially horizontalposition by the tension of springs I3 but being capable of movementagainst 5 the tension of the springs I3.

A pair of guide shafts I5 are received in horizontal transverse boresarranged adjacent the ends of thebearing blocks M and are securedagainst rotation in the blocks I4 by means of 10 set screws I 5 or thelike. The shafts are of substantial thickness having a smooth,preferably polished, surface and are arranged in normal horizontalalignment being supported by bloclcs'l l and movable therewith.Rectangular 15 pen supporting plates ii are provided with spacedopenings to slidably receive the guide shafts I5. Pens it of anysuitable construction are bolted to the top edges of plates I! andextend diagonally down to the belt II, being held in proximity to thebelt and the paper thereon by tension of springs I3. The plates H areprovided with aligned central openings l9 and a screw shaft 28 isjournaled in one of the blocks I4 extending freely through the alignedopenings I9, and through the other block I4. The screw shaft 28terminates in an operating crank 2I and is held in position between theblocks I4 by means of a collar 22 secured to the shaft and abuttingagainst the inner edge of the block I4 as seen I in Figures 2 and 3. Theopenings I9 are of greater diameter than screw shaft 20 and permit freerotation of the shaft. The end plate I'I, adjacent collar 22, abutsagainst collars 23 secured to the guide shafts l5 at points spaced fromthe block I4 while the opposite end plate abuts against, or may besecured to, a cross-head plate 24 slidably engaging the guide shafts I5and having a screw-threaded engagement with screw shaft 20. The penholding plates I! are maintained in even spaced relation by means ofcoil springs 25 of identical length and tension which surround shafts I5between adjacent plates H.

The spacing springs 25 will maintain an even spacing of the plates I1and due to the spaced relation of guide shafts I5 which have a bearingcontact with the openings in the plates I1 and the action of the springs25 at opposite ends of pen holder plates H, the plates I! will be heldin their parallel longitudinal position relative to the machine.

. When it is desired to adjust the spacing of the pens I8, crank 2I isoperated to rotate screw shaft 20 and move cross-head 24. The movementof the cross-head adjusts the position of the adjacent plate l1 and asthe opposite end plate I! is held stationary by collars 23, the springs25 will be compressed or expanded to move the intermediate plates II toprovide a new even spacing of the plates and pens. By rotating crank 2|in the desired direction, the pens l8 may be moved farther apart orcloser together under action of springs 25, always maintaining theireven spacing and parallel relation. With this construction, only one setof pens is required for ruling lines of any desired spacing, and thedesired adjustment may be easily and rapidly obtained. I

In order to move the pens l8 out of contact with the paper to provideheading space or whenever it is desired to stop the ruling of the paper,I provide a lift finger 2B whichmay be clamped to the guide shaft Ifarthest from leaf spring I 3 as shown in Figures 2 and 7, or secured inany other fashionto one of the blocks l4 or their connecting shafts. Thefinger 26 extends downwardly to a point adjacent the rail l0 andterminates in a normally horizontal extension through which an adjustingbolt 21 extends, A lock nut 28 engages the bolt 21to maintain itsadjusted position. A push rod 29 is slidable vertically in a sleeve 30carried by the rail of the machine and is arranged in vertical alignmentwith and directly below the adjusting bolt'21. The lower end of rod 29extends below the sleeve 30 and carries a roller 3| which isadapted toengage the periphery of a rotating cam wheelr32 having a cam or cams 33to engage the roller 3! and raise the push rod 29. The cam 33 ispreferably removable so that cams of different sizes maybe employed. Thecam wheel 32 is rotated during cated in Figure 7. While the pens are intheir raised position, no lines are ruled on thepaper,

and as the roller leaves the cam 33 the pens are lowered into contactwith the paper by springs l3. While I have shown and described thepreferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood thatvarious changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of the subjoined claim. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protectby Letters Patent is: In a ruling machine, a pair'of end memberssupported by the machine, a pair of spaced par- .allel guide shaftscarried by the end members,

a series of pen holders slidably supported on said guideshafts in spacedrelation, a series of coil springs carried by each guide shaft andarranged between the pen holders to space the holders,-said springsbeing of equal length and'tension, stop members arranged adjacent oneend of the shafts, adjusting means arranged between the guide shafts andengaging one of the pen holders to adjust the spacing of the penholders, said adjusting means comprising a screw shaft rotatablysupported by the end members and extending freely through openings inthe pen ho1ders,'and means operatively connecting the screw shaft withthe holder at the end of the series opposite to the stop members on theguide shafts.

LOUIS S; FORSYTHE.

